The present invention relates to the field of electrical connectors, particularly connectors for coaxial cables. The preferred connectors are particularly well suited for use in harsh environments wherein it is desirable to seal the connection from the elements. One such application is in data transmission systems for downhole environments, such as along a drill string used in oil and gas exploration or along the casings and other equipment used in oil and gas production.
The goal of accessing data from a drill string has been expressed for more than half a century. As exploration and drilling technology has improved, this goal has become more important in the industry for successful oil, gas, and geothermal well exploration and production. For example, to take advantage of the several advances in the design of various tools and techniques for oil and gas exploration, it would be beneficial to have real time data such as temperature, pressure, inclination, salinity, etc. Several attempts have been made to devise a successful system for accessing such drill string data. One such system is disclosed in co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 09/909,469 (also published as PCT Application WO 02/06716) which is assigned to the same assignee as the present invention. The disclosure of this U.S. application Ser. No. 09/909,469 is incorporated herein by reference.